The very process of life relies upon the presence of a source of energy. This energy ultimately derives from thermonuclear processes occurring in the sun that create energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation in the form of light. This electromagnetic energy may then be converted into other forms of energy by a variety of processes.
For example, such solar energy may cause evaporation of water such that the water vapor is transported from a lower elevation to a higher elevation thereby increasing its potential energy. A variety of chemical and biochemical processes may store solar energy in various chemical bonds for subsequent exothermic release in a plethora of chemical reactions and life processes. Solar energy, itself, can cause excited mechanical states resulting in the direct heating due to mechanical vibration, osculation and the like.
With the rise of civilizations, humankind has sought ways of tapping or otherwise harnessing available energy sources ultimately to increase the comfort and well being of the species. Early on, of course, organic materials were burned such that, through oxidation, stored chemical energy was released in order to heat the environment, to cook food, etc. Later, humankind learned to utilize the kinetic energy of flowing waters in streams and rivers to provide power for a variety of mechanical tasks. The power of wind was also used as a source of energy, tapped by a windmill, in order to pump water or operate other mechanical equipment and devices.
With the increasing understanding of electricity during the mid-1800's, a versatile source of energy was realized. Over the course of years, it was learned that the electromagnetic properties associated with electricity have almost limitless applications to everyday life. On one hand, electrical energy could be stored chemically in batteries so as to be available on demand. On the other hand, electrical energy was easily distributed over conductive transmission lines so that individual homes and businesses could have a versatile source of power on location. Indeed, the world as we know it today unquestionably derives from the development and understanding of electrical power.
For a long time, two major processes were used to produce electrical power for distribution over various power grids so as to be accessible by large populations of people. The first of these is known as hydroelectric generation wherein the kinetic energy associated with flowing water as it moves from a higher potential energy state to a lower potential energy state could be used to drive an electrical generator. That is, this kinetic energy could be used to rotate magnets and electrical coils so as to induce electricity in such coils, as is the known structure in an electric generator. Accordingly, hydroelectric dams were constructed to confine water as a potential energy source and to controllably release the water to mechanically turn generators, as described. Such hydroelectric generation facilities have positive attributes of being a relatively clean source of electricity although they have a disadvantage in the potential ecological impact associated with altering the natural flow of rivers and streams.
A second technique that was developed at an early date was chemical based electrical generation plants. Here, organic materials, such as coal, could be burned to release their chemical energy which energy could be converted through a variety of means, such as steam engines and the like, in order to mechanically drive generators to produce the ultimately desired electric power. Chemical plants add the attraction of being more versatile in their site location since the location of such generation plants were not dependant upon the presence of a large source of flowing water. However, such chemical plants have severe drawbacks due to the pollutants produced from the burning of large amounts of organic materials. Such pollutants include those particulate matter and undesirable molecular byproducts that have been traditionally exhausted into the environment. Again, ecological damage results.
In the mid 20th century, a new hope for a source of power appeared. At this time, the scientific community began more thoroughly to understand various thermonuclear processes similar or the same as those occurring in the sun. The breakthroughs in the understanding of the physics of thermonuclear processes led to the realization that energy could be directly derived either from the nuclear fission of certain naturally occurring materials (such as various forms of uranium) or from manmade materials (such as plutonium). Alternatively, it was recognized that even greater amounts of energy could be obtained from the thermonuclear fusion of certain materials, such as certain isotopes of hydrogen into a resultant helium, such as occurs in the sun. The efforts to harness thermonuclear fusion met with some success, and nuclear powered generation plants began to be erected. In such plants, the heat generated by the fission process was employed to produce steam, and this steam in turn was used to produce electricity for the power grid.
Towards the end of the 20th century however, nuclear power facilities began to fall into disfavor for their potential cataclysmic effects on the environment. Whereas, if properly controlled and monitored, such facilities could provide relatively clean electricity, human error and the natural deterioration of mechanical systems created the specter of a failure of containment of the thermonuclear process. The result of loss of containment was understood to have potential catastrophic results on the environment through widespread radiation contamination and the potential medical threat to large populations of humans. Moreover, such thermonuclear production facilities produced byproducts in the form of spend nuclear materials the storage of which presents significant challenges.
While thermonuclear fusion still appears to be a promising source of energy, science has not yet learned how to harness and control the production of energy from this awesome physical phenomenon. Efforts are directed to this source of energy on one hand due to the greater amounts of energy occurring in a fusion reaction and, on the other hand, due to the lack of radioactive contamination in a basic hydrogen to helium fusion. While there are those who believe that the fusion process will ultimately solve the world's energy needs, that solution remains elusive.
Accordingly, there are continued efforts to develop clean sources of electricity. For example, wind farms have been constructed wherein technologically advanced windmills are used to convert the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical energy that drive generators for the power grid. Experiments to utilize geothermal heat sources in order to derive electrical production facilities have also been explored, and there have even been efforts to exploit the movement through tides in the ocean as a possible power source for electrical generation.
A substantial amount of development has occurred in employing the solar energy, itself, to more directly generate electricity. Such development has primarily been in two directions. A first direction simply concentrates the electromagnetic energy associated with light from the sun to heat fluids to a high enough level so that they may be used to produce steam, and the steam may be used to generate electricity. Alternatively, substantial development efforts have been devoted to employ the photoelectric effect for the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity since it is known some materials or combinations of materials produce electricity directly upon the exposure to sunlight.
While solar energy presents the opportunity for perhaps the cleanest of all production of electricity, it nonetheless has drawbacks associated with efficiency and weather. First, the production of electricity, for example, from photoelectric cells, has not yet achieved high efficiency levels although there are increasing improvements into photoelectric that address this efficiency problem. Even so, such materials currently are relatively expensive so that the production of electricity from solar cells involves a high capital expenditure. In either of the cases of solar cells or solar collectors, it is better to have unobstructed radiation from the sun so that production of electricity from solar facilities may be seriously impacted by inclimate weather. Accordingly, solar facilities may only have applicability in environments that enjoy a large number clear days.
Regardless of the source of electricity on the power grid, it is well documented the consumption demands on the grid are not constant either on a day-to-day basis or throughout any given day. This is quite understandable when consideration is given to consumption pressures on various users on the grid. For example, on summer days wherein the temperature is elevated, there is a high demand on the grid for the use of electricity for air conditioners both residential and commercial. In the evening, there is a higher consumption of electricity for use in lighting. This consumption, however, drops off in the late evening and through the night when people are in bed. Accordingly, there are peak demands on any power grid, the occurrence of which can depend upon a variety of circumstances.
Since many electrical generation facilities produce electricity at a constant level, there are times for any given grid wherein the consumption of electricity may be lower than the ability of the facilities to output power but in many cases the consumption exceeds the capacities of the grid to produce. Accordingly, a particular power grid must acquire additional electricity to meet its demands. Where a power grid purchases electricity from other grids, it is well known that the price per unit can soar to many times the cost of a unit during non-peak demand.
It is also known that a better balance between consumption and demand can be met by storing the capability to produce additional electricity during peak demand times. For example, a production facility known as a “peak power pump storage facility” has been employed, and such facilities are usually associated with hydroelectric generation. Here, during times of diminished demand, the excess production capability will be used to pump water from a low elevation water source, typically the river on which the hydroelectric facility is located, to a higher elevation, such a storage reservoir. Thereafter, in time of peak demand, the stored water from the reservoir will be released through additional electric generators in an effort to meet the increased demand.
Despite the development of a wide variety of technology in the area of electric power generation, there remains a need for improved systems which can produce power for use on a power grid. There is a further need for power systems that can better respond to peak demands on the grid. In addition, there remains a need for integrated systems so as to provide the production of electricity in an increasingly safe and environmentally clean manner. The present invention is directed to meeting such needs.